AWeber vs GetResponse (2026): Small Biz Pick

By T. Yoshida · Updated September 16, 2026 · Email Marketing
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never influences our verdicts. Learn more.
Key Takeaways
  • AWeber's entry-level Lite plan starts at $12.49/mo billed annually, undercutting GetResponse's entry-level Starter plan at $15.58/mo billed annually.
  • GetResponse includes unlimited monthly email sends on every plan, including Starter, while AWeber's send limits scale with subscriber count.
  • AWeber's Plus plan ($19.99/mo billed annually) removes list, automation, landing page, and user caps and lowers ecommerce transaction fees to 0.6%.
  • GetResponse's Creator plan ($56.58/mo billed annually) bundles webinars, a course platform for up to 500 students, and a website builder alongside its email tools.
Quick Verdict

For most small businesses on a tight budget who mainly need reliable newsletters, sign-up forms, and a handful of automations, AWeber's Lite and Plus plans are hard to beat on value, and its Plus tier throws in unlimited lists, automations, and landing pages at a price point aimed squarely at growing solopreneurs. GetResponse costs more at the entry level, but its Marketer and Creator plans bundle ecommerce automation, sales funnels, webinars, and course tools that can replace two or three other subscriptions. If you sell products or run webinars, GetResponse's higher tiers likely justify the price; if you just need dependable email marketing without extra complexity, AWeber is the simpler, more affordable route.

Try AWeber

FeatureAWeberGetResponse
Entry plan price (billed annually)$12.49/mo (Lite)$15.58/mo (Starter)
Mid-tier plan$19.99/mo (Plus) — unlimited lists, automations, users$48.38/mo (Marketer) — unlimited automations, abandoned cart, funnels
Free trial14 daysFree trial available (length not specified)
Unlimited monthly email sendsSend limits scale with subscriber countUnlimited sends on every plan, including Starter
Landing pages / automationsLimited on Lite, unlimited on Plus and aboveUnlimited landing pages on all plans; automations limited to 1 workflow on Starter
Ecommerce / sales toolsSales tracking, low transaction fees (0.6%–1.0%)Abandoned cart recovery, promo codes, revenue reports (Marketer+)
ExtrasDone-for-you setup serviceWebinars, course creator, website builder (Creator plan)
Support24/7 chat, email, phone (priority on paid plans)Email and chat support; phone and dedicated support appear reserved for higher tiers
DealView DealView Deal

Is AWeber cheaper than GetResponse?

Yes — AWeber's Lite plan starts at $12.49 a month when billed annually, which undercuts GetResponse's entry-level Starter plan at $15.58 a month billed annually. AWeber's Lite tier covers one email list, three landing pages, three automations, and three users — plenty for a solo operator sending a regular newsletter. Step up to Plus at $19.99 a month (annual billing) and the caps disappear: unlimited lists, landing pages, automations, users, and custom segments, plus priority 24/7 support and lower transaction fees on AWeber's built-in ecommerce tools. AWeber also offers a done-for-you setup service, priced separately from the monthly plans, for businesses that want an expert to build templates, forms, and a welcome series rather than doing it themselves. For a deeper look at where AWeber stands on its own, see our full AWeber review.

GetResponse's Starter plan runs $15.58 a month billed annually and includes unlimited monthly email sends, AI content generators, a landing page builder, and one custom automation workflow. The jump to Marketer at $48.38 a month is significant, but it unlocks unlimited automation workflows, advanced segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels, and revenue reporting — features aimed at ecommerce sellers. The Creator plan, at $56.58 a month annually, adds webinars, a website builder, and a course platform for up to 500 students. Because both vendors structure pricing by subscriber count and run periodic promotions, check each provider's official pricing page before committing, since the number that applies to your list size may differ from the entry-level rate. For a longer-term take on the platform, read our GetResponse review.

Advertisement

Which platform is easier to use day to day?

Both platforms offer drag-and-drop email builders, pre-built templates, and standard list-building tools like signup forms and popups. AWeber includes RSS-to-email, an AI subject line assistant, and a hosted broadcast archive, along with split testing and behavioral automation that appear tied to its higher-tier plans — it's worth confirming exact plan-by-plan availability directly with AWeber. GetResponse layers in AI email and subject line generators (with limited free uses on lower tiers), inbox preview, and time-based sending features like Perfect Timing and Time Travel, which are useful if your subscribers are spread across time zones.

Where the two diverge most is automation depth. AWeber's Lite plan restricts you to three automation workflows, which is fine for a basic welcome series but limiting if you want branching logic. GetResponse's Starter plan gives you just one custom workflow, but its Marketer tier removes that cap entirely and adds event-based triggers, dynamic segmentation, and purchase automation — tools built for stores and content creators running more sophisticated funnels. If you're comparing automation-heavy platforms more broadly, our CRM roundup for small business consultants covers adjacent tools worth weighing alongside email marketing.

Does GetResponse beat AWeber on ecommerce tools?

GetResponse's Marketer and Creator plans include more built-out ecommerce automation than AWeber offers at any tier. AWeber's ecommerce features focus on selling directly through email and landing pages, with sales tracking, subscription and payment plan support, and transaction fees that drop from 1.0% on Lite to 0.6% on Plus and Done For You — a meaningful difference if you're processing regular sales volume through the platform.

GetResponse leans harder into full-funnel ecommerce on its Marketer plan and up: abandoned cart recovery, promo codes, a dedicated stores and products center, payment gateway integration, and revenue tracking tied to specific campaigns. If your small business sells physical or digital products at scale, GetResponse's ecommerce toolkit is the more complete option; if you're mainly monetizing a list with occasional digital product sales, AWeber's simpler approach may be all you need. For a closer look at GetResponse against another ecommerce-focused platform, see our ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse for ecommerce comparison.

What extra tools come bundled in, beyond email?

GetResponse's Creator plan stands out for businesses that teach or host events — it bundles webinar hosting, a website builder, and a course creator supporting up to 500 students, plus premium newsletter subscriptions. That's a lot of functionality consolidated into one subscription if you're currently paying separately for a webinar tool and a course platform.

AWeber's differentiator is its Done For You service, which pairs a paid plan with a team that builds your email templates, landing pages, forms, and welcome series within about a week, then offers 30 days of edits. For business owners who'd rather hand off setup than learn the platform themselves, that's a notable time-saver GetResponse doesn't directly match in the plans reviewed here.

How does support compare between the two?

AWeber advertises 24/7 chat, email, and phone support, with priority routing on paid plans, along with free account migration for switchers. It also integrates with common small-business tools including Facebook, PayPal, WordPress, Shopify, and WooCommerce, plus hundreds of others. GetResponse offers email and chat support on all plans, and features like phone support, Slack support, and dedicated onboarding appear positioned toward higher tiers and Enterprise customers — though GetResponse doesn't clearly break out exactly which plans include each support channel, so it's worth confirming on its pricing page before you decide.

Which should you choose?

Choose AWeber if you want an affordable, straightforward platform with unlimited automations and landing pages available at a moderate price point, strong support access even on lower tiers, and the option to outsource setup entirely. Choose GetResponse if your small business needs unlimited sends from day one, plans to run sales funnels or abandoned cart campaigns, or wants webinars and course delivery folded into the same subscription. Both offer free trials, so testing each with your actual list and workflow is the most reliable way to confirm fit before you commit to an annual plan.

Bottom Line

AWeber remains the better fit for small businesses that want dependable email marketing without extra complexity, at a lower entry price and with unlimited core features on its Plus plan. GetResponse only pulls ahead if you need unlimited sends immediately or plan to run ecommerce funnels, webinars, or courses through the same subscription — in that case, its Marketer or Creator tiers are worth the higher cost.

Try AWeber Try GetResponse

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AWeber cheaper than GetResponse for small businesses?

AWeber's entry-level Lite plan is priced lower than GetResponse's Starter plan, and its Plus tier offers unlimited automations and landing pages at a moderate monthly cost, but confirm current rates on each provider's official pricing page since costs scale with subscriber count.

Does GetResponse offer unlimited email sends?

Yes, GetResponse includes unlimited monthly email sends on every plan, including its entry-level Starter tier, whereas AWeber's send limits scale with your subscriber count.

Which platform is better for selling products or running webinars?

GetResponse's Marketer and Creator plans include stronger ecommerce automation, abandoned cart recovery, and built-in webinar and course tools, making it a better fit for businesses selling products or hosting events at scale.

Advertisement
TY
T. Yoshida

T. Yoshida is the founder, owner, and operator of StackVerdict. He researches and tests AI and marketing software hands-on, running every tool through real workloads before a verdict is published.